• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Urban Farmie
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Resources
    • Gardening
    • Substitutes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Resources
    • Gardening
    • Substitutes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauces, Dips, Dressings

    Published: May 2, 2020 | Last Modified: March 4, 2021 by Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju | This post may contain affiliate links. 💬 - 2 Comments

    The Best Spicy Guacamole Recipe

    Dairy Free RecipesGluten Free RecipesNut Free RecipesVegan Recipes
    Shares247Facebook38Pin209
    The only spicy, chunky guacamole recipe you'll ever need. It uses just six ingredients but has a secret tip to make sure the flavors are evenly dispersed and irresistible!
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    There are a million guacamole recipes floating around. But this easy spicy guacamole recipe is tried-and-tested. I've been using it for over 7 years and has never let a guacamole lover down.

    Pair this with some tortilla chips, make nachos, or just throw it on a slice of toast to make one of these amazing avocado toasts!

    Bowl of guacamole with a mortar and pestle and avocado in the background

    This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you're in a rush, please use the "Jump to Recipe" link!

    This post might contain affiliate links. If you click on those and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to:
    • 💭 Why you'll love this recipe
    • 📋 Ingredients and notes
    • 🧂 Three Step Process (+ Secret Tip)
    • 👩🏽‍🍳 Top Tips & FAQs
    • 👩🏽‍🍳 Serving and storage suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    💭 Why you'll love this recipe

    This recipe uses simple ingredients, but there’s a secret twist to making sure the flavors are evenly dispersed and irresistible!

    • Six ingredients and fifteen minutes: Everyone loves a good dip, and nothing better than a quick and convenient one at that.
    • Avocado is super nutritious: Avocados are loaded with healthy fats, fiber and various important nutrients, and it's super delicious too!

    📋 Ingredients and notes

    This recipe uses only six fresh ingredients: avocado, half a red onion, fresh jalapeños, fresh lime juice, cilantro and kosher salt.

    Labeled image showing ingredients for spicy guacamole

    Notes, variations and substitutions

    • Should you use tomatoes in guacamole? I love adding fresh tomatoes, but only in the summer. But otherwise, they water the recipe down.
    • What about garlic or garlic powder? This is not a traditional component of guacamole, but you could add them in if you love garlic.
    • What kind of onions should I use? I love using red onions because they bring a nice bite. But white onion or yellow onion works too.
    • What kind of avocados should I use? Hass avocados are easy to find, and have the optimal fat content to make the best guacamole!
    • How can you adjust the spice level? I use one jalapeno per three medium sized avocados. You can use half, or leave out the seeds or you can leave it out altogether. You can also swap jalapeno with Serrano peppers or habanero peppers if you want to kick up the spiciness.
    • Other variations? This is a classic guacamole, but you could also add cotija cheese, char the jalapeno peppers, add charred corn (especially during the summer), green onions, or hot sauce to try something new!

    🧂 Three Step Process (+ Secret Tip)

    I have a three step process, but I led with "secret tip", so I gotta spill!

    Chop up the cilantro and jalapenos and mash them together!

    This is my secret to the perfect, even spread of flavor. First, remove the stem and deseed the jalapeno. Chop finely into small pieces.

    Chop up the cilantro as well. Add them to a mortar and mash with a pestle (or throw them in a food processor really quickly). Or add to a medium bowl and use a fork or the back of a spoon to mash. This is the best way to evenly distribute the flavor.

    Two panel collage showing before and after of chopped jalapenos and cilantros mashed together in a mortar

    Chop up avocados and add to a bowl

    Slice the avocado into two halves. Twist to pull them apart. Carefully use the edge of a knife to twist and remove the pit.

    Criss-cross the avocado using a knife on each half, and then use a spoon to scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Get those good fats! Oh, and save the avocado shells if you want an eco-friendly way to serve guacamole!

    Three panel collage showing how to put, slice, and scoop avocado flesh for guacamole

    Add other ingredients and season to taste!

    Chop up red onions really finely (so it's an even size) and add that to the bowl. Then, add the jalapeno-cilantro mixture. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash them together, but don't over mash them! Add salt to taste and drizzle with a little extra lime juice to finish.

    Two panel collage showing before and after of mixing guacamole ingredients together

    Serve with these delicious tortilla chips, or make some delicious nachos with a bit of sour cream and pico de gallo, or my favorite: throw on wholegrain bread to make avocado toast for a perfect healthy snack!

    Close up of a a hand using a tortilla chip to scoop guacamole from a bowl

    👩🏽‍🍳 Top Tips & FAQs

    How can you tell if an avocado is ripe?

    Ripe avocados are soft, but not mushy and typically a darker color. If they’re a bit harder, buy and store in a brown paper bag to ripen faster. Buy a few different stages of ripeness so you can use it over the days to come!

    How do you keep guacamole from browning?

    Two tips here: use a tall and slim container vs. a long, shallow container. Less exposure, less browning. Or add a thin layer of water on top to cover the surface, and you'll find almost no browning. Alternatively, you can use a piece of plastic wrap and smush it as close to the top of the guacamole to prevent exposure to air.

    Can you freeze whole avocados?

    Yes, but they tend to freeze better if you slice them into smaller chunks (say, cubes) then they freeze rather well, so wash, slice and then store them in the freezer. Check out this post on how to freeze avocados.

    What can I use instead of jalapenos in my guacamole?

    You can use Serrano pepper, or ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper per jalapeno in your guacamole to maintain a similar spice level. Jalapenos measure 2500-8000 on the Scoville heat unit, which is quite spicy. If you want hotter chiles, you can substitute with habanero peppers or even ghost pepper if you love spicy food.

    How do you cool down spicy guacamole?

    You can add tomatoes or a couple of spoons of sour cream to keep the consistency creamy and tone down the spice.

    👩🏽‍🍳 Serving and storage suggestions

    If you store it properly (in an airtight manner, limiting surface exposure to air) - guacamole can last 3 to 4 days. If some parts brown, you can just skim the top surface off and serve the rest. My favorite trick is to top the guacamole with a thin layer of water. Never fails me!

    You could freeze guacamole, but the texture changes significantly. Just make sure to squeeze all the air out of the container and then pop it into the freezer. It can stay 2-3 months in the right container. Pop in the fridge overnight before you're ready to eat it.

    If you liked this easy guacamole recipe, check out these easy dips:

    • Hummus Recipe, No Tahini (Spicy Chickpea Dip!)
    • Creamed Spinach
    • Vegan Refried Beans (One Pot, Gluten Free!)
    • Easy Mango Salsa Dip

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of a bowl of spicy guacamole
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Spicy Guacamole

    The only spicy, chunky guacamole recipe you'll ever need. It uses just six ingredients but has a secret tip to make sure the flavors are evenly dispersed and irresistible!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Dips
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Vegan
    Servings: 3 cups
    Calories: 337kcal
    Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

    Ingredients

    • 3 avocados, medium sized, ripe
    • ½ red onion, finely diced
    • 1 jalapeno, minced
    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro, minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
    • 1 lime, for juice

    Instructions

    • Remove the stem and deseed one jalapeno. Slice it into the finest dice you can - I typically slice them into four vertical pieces and then dice them further. Set aside in a small bowl.  
    • Chop up about ¼ cup of fresh cilantro using a chiffonade (i.e. roll them tightly together and chop away).
    • Add both to a mortar and mash them together using a pestle. Or, if you have a food processor, just pulse them 1-2 times until they're evenly mixed in.
    • Chop up ½ red onion into a fine dice of equal sized pieces. Set aside.
    • Finally, chop up 3 avocados - split them in half, remove the pit, criss-cross the flesh and scoop out with a spoon into a large mixing bowl. 
    • Add the diced red onions, cilantro-jalapeno mixture, 1 teaspoon of salt, and juice from half a lime. Mix well together using a serving fork, pestle, or the back of a large spoon.
    • Squeeze the other half of lime on top, add some flaky salt if you'd like, and dig in with a chip! 

    Video

    Notes

    • To get the perfect chunky consistency, criss-crossing the avocado is a great trick - if you want your guacamole more mashed, just use a masher 
    • You can also increase the red onions or jalapeno to your taste, add red pepper flakes, garlic, fresh tomatoes, and a number of other things to this guacamole - it's super versatile!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 75g | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 1024mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 434IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @urbanfarmie or #urbanfarmie to let me know – I would LOVE to see your creations!

    Note: This recipe was originally published on May 2, 2020. It was updated on February 4, 2022 to include new photos and a tutorial video!

    « What's in Season? May Produce Guide
    Strawberry Shortcake Cookies »

    Download your seasonal eating guide!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cassandra

      August 24, 2020 at 12:19 am

      5 stars
      I am a certifiable disaster in the kitchen so trust me when I say that this is a super easy and delicious recipe. The ratios were perfect and it took less than the suggested 15 minutes. Will definitely make my own guac from now on instead of buying it. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Shruthi

        August 24, 2020 at 6:02 pm

        Thank you so much! So glad it worked for you and you'll make your own guacamole 😉 Nothing quite like fresh guac!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Shruthi Baskaran - Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, and Blogger at Urban Farmie

    I am Shruthi, the recipe developer, photographer and blogger behind Urban Farmie. I have two graduate degrees from Stanford, one focused on food systems. And I hope to bring you everything you need for healthy-ish, comforting, nourishing vegetarian cooking.

    Read more →

    Recipe Key

    Dairy free
    Gluten free
    Nut free
    Vegan
    Vegetarian

    Fall Favorites

    • Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
    • No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup
    • Ethiopian Cabbage
    year-round produce guide

    Get Every Recipe To Your Inbox!

    As Seen On

    Footer

    Urban Farmie

    Urban Farmie

    Seasonal, global, vegetarian recipes and the stories behind them. Inspired by life and travels to 60+ countries. Always authentic, never boring.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Popular Posts

    Nigerian Jollof Rice

    Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

    Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread (or Quiche!)

    Chana Masala

    Healthy Samosas

    Moroccan Shakshuka

    Back To Top

    Copyright Black Bicycle LLC. © 2023
    Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Disclosure Policy | Website Accessibility Statement